Leaf Hunting Basics Part II: Camouflage and Deception

 

 

The buck does not like to jump from the dark into the light.

Sitting on the edge of the forest in the sunny meadow, it becomes difficult to lure the buck out of the shady stand.

Old-growth stands are well suited or shady stand edges, also interspaces in the open field or transition zones are promising leaf stands.

 

 

You can successfully batten from any hunting facility, an enclosed pulpit offers the best cover but the least visibility. Open pulpits, ladders or, of course, ground stands are usually more suitable. Driven hunt stands can also be used excellently, or a camouflage net can be used to provide a temporary leaf stand.

In principle, the higher they sit, the further the sound is carried. Of course, this increases the range, but when the buck comes into view, they should only make their calls very cautiously and as muffled as possible. After all, it is unlikely that bucks will call from the treetops.

 

Although the weather is not a factor in the actual rutting, it is a factor in the time of day when rutting mainly takes place. In scorching heat and persistent drought, the activity shifts to the cooler night hours. Here, the early riser has greater chances of success on a cool morning, sultry afternoons offer after-hours opportunities. The best leaf-hunting conditions are considered to be overcast skies, or after rain showers and short summer thunderstorms. Pouring rain does not generally diminish the rutting action, but the pattering drops may swallow the luring sounds and therefore limit the range.

 

A heavy night glass is not absolutely necessary for leaf hunting, a light stalking glass for sounding out the situation is usually sufficient. The response has to be quick anyway, often the decisive look is already through the scope. It is better to choose a scope with a small basic magnification or, even better, a variable range of adjustment. The shot is seldom taken at long range, but since the searching buck is on the move a lot, you will quickly lose the overview with high magnification and a small field of view. The choice of weapon should be made in such a way that it can be operated blindly. Whether it is a combination, bolt action, break-barrel or semi-automatic rifle, when the longed-for buck is standing in front of you, you should not have to think about where the safety is or whether the trigger has a German or a back trigger.

 

The buck is searching with the lights, attentively eyeing the surroundings to see where the supposed lady of the heart is, who is whistling so lustfully. Therefore, avoid jerky movements, the rifle should be ready to hand so that it can be quickly and smoothly brought to bear. It is best to wear gloves and, if necessary, a face veil; the bright, skin-coloured patches of face and hands are alarming even to short-sighted bucks. Long sleeves are compulsory and hunters with thinning hair are strongly advised to wear headgear. Insect spray helps to avoid scaring off game by conspicuous defensive movements. The less cover the hide offers, the more the hunter must camouflage himself. For the stalking hunter who moves only with the target stick behind natural cover, camouflage is useful to blend in with the surroundings. The wind, as in any other type of hunting, must of course be taken into account.

 

Pro tip: If you cleverly hang a dried deer blanket nearby, you can often fool the approaching buck for a few seconds and distract him from yourself.